Music Reviews

Percy X Presents The Separatists - Bug Rider

The Separatists - the production combination of Percy X and Marco Bernadi - have already released one experimental EP on Soma and 'Bug Rider' skilfully continues this form.

'Bug Rider' is energetic loop based techno that combines dated tech mechanisms with sparse and contemporary programming. Some may argue that the application of a loop arrangement is regressive, but both producers use a transforming bassline that expands and extracts with intense hypnotism to avoid the repetitive feel of the loop sound. Effective delays and a electric riff delivered in small doses create further intensity and energy. Despite the retro feel - 'Bug Rider' is a great record that shines with the energy that made traditional techno so addictive in the first place.

The B-side drops into action with the spacey trip 'Krockit'. Percy X and Marco continue the flashback approach via deep and dubby house. The fluid and subconscious 90's house format is given slight updates through skipping beats, reversed dynamics and minimal effects. This combination of old and new results in a robotic funk arrangement that sounds like a machine under its own control.

The closing shot of the latest Separatists EP is, unfortunately, the least accomplished. 'Lay Six' is a tribal backed and fast paced funky techno track. The overall pattern becomes too confused with the injection of weird synths and even stranger samples. The tribal base sounds unoriginal on first listen, but there is something about the general groove, with the quirky cut up sections and crazed bleep infested breaks, which hints that when heard very late in a dark room it could suddenly all make sense.